The Crystal Calls
by The Sid Kid
Summary: An exploration of the early history of the World of the Dark Crystal. Set just before the original cracking of the Crystal.
1. Default Chapter

****

Introduction

Of the race of Aughra, there was only one. Formed from the elements of the planet of Thra, to her was given the task of watching over any events of significance on the planet. As such, to be the eyes of the trees, the rocks, the water and all other elements which gave form and life to the planet but could not see the fruits of their labor. Those powers which bestowed such a task are as enigmatic and misunderstood today as they were during this period of Thra's history. How far history went back before the creation of Aughra is uncertain, for none who existed on the planet, until her, were interested in keeping records of such things. 

During her first thousand years of life, the one known as Aughra was a beautiful, feminine creature. Her skin was as silky and natural as sand that has sat underneath the waters' edge for all of its existence. Her hair white and shimmering under the glow of the Three Suns. She spent her days learning from all creatures and races on Thra, and in turn, teaching them the ways of the world on which they lived. The sociable Podlings who lived in communion with the plants taught her of community and love. The gentle Gelflings who, in all things, attempted to make merry taught her of harmony and peace. Even the Sandlings, who were as coarse as their name indicated taught her of the value of independence and pride for one's accomplishments. Aughra knew there were many things that those races could teach her yet, as well as to learn of what other races may exist on the planet...for discovering all except the Gelflings had been a most difficult task.

For all the joy she received from learning the ways of life from the creatures around her, there was little that Aughra enjoyed more than to gaze up at the wonderment of the stars and the Three Suns that governed the dispersal of light and darkness over the planet. So impressed was she with the awe of the Three Suns, that she gave each a name according to its nature. The Great Sun shone over all things. The Dying Sun, too, added its darkened light. And the Rose Sun, the least in size, was not the least in beauty for its humble body was flowered in brilliant crimson flames. It was during the first meeting of these suns that another element of the planet revealed itself to Aughra. Though it was not terribly uncommon for two of the three suns to line up...to have all three in conjunction was a truly awe-inspiring event. The first time it had occurred, Aughra had thought the world might come to an end...but rather it was being given a new beginning. And when the radiance of the first Great Conjunction had stretched out over the land of Thra, Aughra felt and saw, in her mind's eye, the existence of the Crystal, and could feel its energy touching every rock and tree. It was the center and the source all energy on the planet. Without it, life could not draw the energy it needed to continue. And without the suns, the crystal could not draw the energy it needed to continue. Such was the concentric codependence of the creatures, Thra itself, and the universe that surrounded it. Of all the lessons Aughra had learned...none was more valuable than this.

Nine hundred ninety-nine and one trine passed before the next Great Conjunction had come. By this time, Aughra had been very in tune with not only the ways of the planet, but also the ways of the universe. So that when the next Conjunction came, she would be there at the mountain that housed the crystal so that all the elements of Thra that cried out for a glimpse of this spectacular event. And when the time came...the Great Conjunction she did see for herself, lying atop the mountain, looking up into the heavens as the Three Suns came together. And the planet itself cried out in awe as it at last saw that which gave it life. For Aughra though, there had been a price. The eye that had looked directly into the Great Conjunction had been darkened, never to be used again. Moreover, the light had burned and gnarled the beautiful maiden's flesh, leaving it as gray and cracked as the mountain itself. Her once radiant hair lay blackened and strewn out from her head in many a haphazard direction. It is not known how long she lay there, unconscious, and on the verge of returning to the dust of the planet that had spawned her. She only knew that, when she had awoken, she was in the presence of a race that could not have possibly existed on Thra before without her knowledge.

As the Suns separated, radiant creatures who appeared almost as if they had descended from the heavens themselves stood looking over Aughra. They helped her to her feet, and healed what wounds they could...though the burns of the light she had felt were irreversible. So too was the loss of the sight of one eye. But such sacrifices had been minimal, in Aughra's mind, for the beauty of the Great Conjunction that she had beheld firsthand. That was when she realized, mistakenly, that the Great Conjunction must have brought about these creatures as well. Thus ended the Golden Age of Thra.

The creatures, who were eighteen in number, were from another planet altogether. Their countenance and raiments were evidence enough of that, but their explanation was equally resounding of truth. The Age of Harmony came into being because of the urSkeks. With them, they brought much understanding of technology and science and practical matters. On their own planet they had been outcast as radicals, so they sought out another world that had a crystal similar to their own which they could use for purposes all their own...but which would benefit others as well. They went with Aughra deep into the mountain where the crystal lived and, once they had found it, carved a shimmering castle out of the mountain all around it. Many trine this had taken, and when it was complete, many creatures great and small came to the castle to look upon the crystal that had given so much life to the planet. The urSkeks welcomed the chance to learn from many different creatures. The most frequent of all the visitors were the Gelflings. They were enthralled by the opportunity to interact with other creatures who sought the same enlightenment as they and desired to learn of new paths towards it. The urSkeks, in turn, enjoyed the company of the Gelflings second only to that of Aughra herself. For while they saw kindred spirits in the race known as Gelflings, it was only Aughra who could teach them about the innermost workings and thinkings and doings of Thra itself. And for that, they were most grateful.

So grateful, in fact, that when they learned of Aughra's interest in the Suns and Moons and Stars overhead, they decided to build her an observatory. Many a trine this had taken as well, though not as long as it had taken to carve the Crystal Castle. Far in the east, upon the highest mountaintops it stood. And Aughra was forced to make many an enjoyably difficult decision about how to divide her time between interacting with the urSkeks in the Castle and studying the stars from her great Dome. Eventually that decision grew less and less difficult, and Aughra spent most of her time in her observatory, watching the suns and stars and learning from any urSkeks who came to visit with her.

Thus proceeded the Age of Harmony. A time of learning and growth. For nine hundred ninety-nine and one trine, this was how life on Thra existed. The urSkeks, bent on understanding the knowledge of the great crystal of Thra and the power it could bestow, built a great chamber in the castle, filled with layers of walls filled with lesser crystals and mirrors and patterns etched on the floor. All designed to capture and harness the power of the Great Conjunction when next it came. And now the next Great Conjunction draws near. The end of the Age of Harmony. A new age quickly approaching.

****

Chapter One

The forest of Tren was a myriad of contradictions. In places, it appeared to be dark and foreboding, completely inhospitable to any life at all. To get past that illusion, however, all one needed to do was simply begin to trek into the forest. There they would be introduced to the sunkissed grass and moss patches that grew wildly thanks to the canopies overhead that allowed a generous amount of sunlight in. Within this deep forest, along with all the other creatures that called this part of Thra home, so too did a tribe of Gelflings known as the Mokin. All of Gelfling society was split up into different tribes. But most of them lived in the same geographical areas of Thra as did the rest of their kin. They held many of the same ideals and practices. If it were not for the little squabbles over minor issues, they would perhaps be one giant tribe. But for the time being, it was not to be. And perhaps it never would be.

Of all the tribes, it was the Mokin who were the least satisfied with having such division. Their sister tribe, the Rakin were, conversely enough, the ones who were the most satisfied with the current state of things, and made every effort to keep them the way they were. The Elder of the Mokin was a wise, old Gelfling by the name of Ooro. With the council of his sister Oora, they watched over the Mokin Gelflings much like a mother and father would. Neither had ever been paired with another Gelfling, as they had been betrothed since birth into the service of and communion with Thra itself. It was a ceremonial life, and one that few Gelflings had the fortitude to live out. Most preferred to run, make music, or at the most serious of tasks...tend to their own gardens. 

That was until the magical ones came. 

Many, many generations ago...almost a thousand trine to be exact, creatures from another world had come to Thra. The Gelflings passed on stories of the event. And even though all Gelflings from that time and many since had returned to the earth...the kindred of today could trek to the castle—a considerable trek at that—and see for themselves the very creatures who had come all those years ago. 

Among all of his kin, it was Ooro who saw the most potential out of these new creatures...the urSkeks. Not potential for personal gain...but potential for unity once again between all of the Gelfling tribes. Perhaps it was because all of the generations before him had only seen the potential for knowledge. And while that was valuable, for Ooro at least, it was not enough. As a young boy, he had hoped to live long enough to see the next Great Conjunction. It would be a slightly unnatural stretch of a Gelfling life span to be able to do so...but he knew if he remained dedicated to the planet and his people and took care of himself how could the powers possibly refuse him the right to look upon an event in person that he had only heard about in legend all of his life. And thanks to the careful recordings of the one known as Aughra, the next Great Conjunction had been mapped out not only to the day...but the hour. Three and three quarters of a day from now, the next Great Conjunction would occur, and all of Thra was ready for it.

***

Inside the Castle of the Crystal, the eighteen urSkeks stood gathered in a great hall. Not so great as to outshine the splendor of the Crystal Chamber...but sufficient for the purposes of their convening and relaxing. For many, many, many trine...each of them had contributed in their own unique way to prepare for this planet's next Great Conjunction. Each of them knew, in the very deepest fibers of their beings, that there was power in the crystal. Power provided by the suns. Power that could be harnessed for all sorts of beneficial gains. On their own home world, they had attempted to convince the leadership that they could do so much more if they only would harness the energy of their planet's crystal. The leadership had called it folly, and the eighteen of them fools. Rather than stay and debate, argue or fight over the matter, the eighteen had simply left and went in search of another planet which had a crystal that housed similar energies. Nothing could quite describe their excitement when they had found the planet. That they had encountered sentient life at that same time was also a most pleasant surprise for them. Watching that Great Conjunction from afar had only confirmed their hopes and desires, and so for the next one thousand trine, they had labored furiously to create a structure that would harness the energy of the next Great Conjunction. Even more fortunately, the sentient life they had discovered...the one known as Aughra...had proved invaluable beyond measure for her ability to calculate the movements of the suns and stars with the tools of triangles, circles and numerology that they had given her. 

"She has been in her observatory for several trine, SoSu. Do you expect that she will emerge for the coming Conjunction? She has seen one already. Perhaps she is satisfied." SilSol says, his hands clasped together as he addresses their collective leader.

SoSu was the wisest of the urSkeks who had left their homeworld, and the one who had originally seen the potential of their planet's crystal. His opinion was valued by all and questioned by none once it was given.

"Perhaps. But of all of us, save TekTih, I have conversed with Aughra the Seer the most. I have seen her heart. While she may be content to watch the lesser conjunctions from afar, she will not let the next Great Conjunction pass over us without being present to witness it." SoSu says, his regal, voice echoing throughout the great hall. The other seventeen urSkeks offer a soft, reverberative chant of acknowledgement at what the leader had said.

***

And SoSu, as he most often was, had been correct. Even as the time until the Great Conjunction grew ever shorter, so too had the traveling distance between Aughra's Dome and the Crystal Castle grown shorter. 

__

No thanks, of course, to the path itself. Thanks to my feet for that. Aughra grumbles in her mind as she ambles up on to the top of a hill with the aide of her walking stick. The hems of her dress had got caught on more rocks and sticks than she could count during this journey from her home to the home of the crystal. But it was worth it. And only for a Great Conjunction was it worth it. Aughra had enjoyed her time of learning from the Gelflings, and Sandlings and most especially the urSkeks. But, she had learned practically everything one could possibly want to know about Thra and its creatures. The last great, untapped source of knowledge was the universe itself. In fact, it was the only area of study that held any interest for her now. 

Of course, getting from the observatory to the castle was not as easy as it had used to be. Time had caused her figure to become more robust. And robust figures were not made for long journeys over mountains, through swamps, into deserts and over plains. But fortunately, time was her ally. She had long ago come to the realization that she would not return to the earth as all other creatures did. That which had formed her, apparently, had not grown tired of seeing all that it could see through her. And so she lived on, content to take her time in all things. 

For many weeks, perhaps even months, she had trekked across Thra. She had lost count of the time, which she often kept track of simply for the amusement of it. Each day overhead, as the Three Suns shone, she paid careful attention to how close each of them got to the other. That was the only thing on Thra that spurned her to go any faster than she was going. For while she was in no danger of dying, the Great Conjunction would happen with or without her being at the castle to witness it for herself. That, and that alone, made her pick up her pace.

***

Several Gelflings stood in one of the great corridors of the castle. Each were similar because of their race, but also distinctly different from each other. Kin, of the Mokin tribe, was a tall, slender Gelfling male whose hair was a ruddy, mud-like color. He was sought after for a pairing more feverishly than most males and, as such, had grown used to any fawning that went on in his presence. Teah, of the Dah tribe, was the feminine equivalent of Kin, and like him, was a descendant of one of the original founders of their tribe. Raven, of the Rakin tribe, was the most slender and lithe of all the Gelflings present, even the females. Uncertain of anything in life...he knew he could play the firca...and so he had done that with every fiber of his being at any early age. His shyness kept him from doing much else. Sara, of the Saha tribe, was a vibrant—although almost entirely naive—young Gelfling female. Kaya, of the Yebin tribe, was an unusually sharp Gelfling female...for her age at least. Her and Sara had taken to each other almost as soon as they met. And Brecht and Erecht of the T'Keb tribe were perhaps the most imposing of the bunch. One would think they were hunters...though such things were forbidden in polite Gelfling society. Instead the twins achieved their size from their years of wrestling and rock-lifting contests. That they each played the massive, horn-shaped oba came as a surprise to noone, not even ZokZah. The last two were the only two in the group who were direct, blood relatives. But besides being Gelflings, they all shared one other distinction...they were each the finest musicians from each of the major tribes. There were other tribes of course, but most of the others were far too concerned with survival and independence than to even give a second thought to appreciating the joy of music. Music, however, was the most prized of all the art forms on Thra...as the crystal itself was known to make music during the lesser conjunctions. 

In preparation for the Great Conjunction, the urSkeks had sent out a request for all races on Thra to send their most gifted music makers to the castle. There, on the day of the Great Conjunction, they would play in harmony with the crystal itself, beginning the next age of enlightenment. Not a one of them had yet come of age into adulthood, though a couple of them -Kin and Teah- were perilously close. But it was not their age that had earned them the distinction of being able to harmonize with the Great Conjunction, only their unsurpassed talent.

For much of that morning, they had been in rehearsal with the urSkek known as ZokZah who oversaw anything of a ritualistic nature within the castle. They had not been alone of course. There were several musically talented Podlings, Sandlings, and even other races which none of the Gelflings had ever before seen. They all formed a great orchestra, and when they played, they received much praise and instruction from ZokZah. He had needed to leave for a convening with the other urSkeks, and that left the Gelflings and the other members of the orchestra with some much appreciated free time.

"So who do you think will get the solo?" Teah asks, looking over to Sara and Kaya. "You know...right when the Three Suns touch? Can you imagine what an honor that'll be?"

"Yeah..." Sara nodded, "my mother and father **knew** that the Enlightened Ones would do something like this for the Great Conjunction. They've had a firca in my hand as soon as I could crawl out of my hampet."

The three Gelfling females laughed, realizing that they had all been trained—almost to death—to get to this point in their skills. Their collective giggling had now caught the attention of the other four Gelflings in the group who, until now, had been content to stand in their own little circle and discuss male things like woodcarving and running. Girls, of course, couldn't appreciate the fine art of running since they had wings and hardly ever did it. If they ever needed to be somewhere fast...they flew.

"What are you all laughin' at?" Kin says as he makes his way over, a smile firmly plastered on his face. 

"Nothing important." Teah says with a grin. "Just wondering who's gonna get that solo."

Kin smiles at this. "Well, I play a mean firca myself, I guess we'll just have to see."

The females again burst in slight laughter at this, and Raven rolls his eyes very subtly. Giggling female Gelflings truly had to be one of the most annoying sounds on the planet. Thra help them if they ever created an instrument that captured that sound. Fortunately, Kin interrupted it before it could spread.

"So, have you guys wandered through the castle yet? I can't believe my kinfather has not brought me here before."

"I **know**" Sara and Kaya chime in simultaneously, then Sara follows up. "This is the most beautiful place I've ever been to...I want to live here. Tomorrow."

The Gelflings get a good laugh at this and proceed to make their way down one of the connecting corridors. None of them knew exactly where they were going...but all of them pretended that they did, so the rest followed Kin and Teah as they talked about this and that. It would have looked like a flock of migrating Skyraptors to anyone passing by. Eventually, the troupe arrives at the end of the corridor, and what they found when they got there was not exactly what they were looking for. Sitting in front of them, was an almost cave like hole. The rest of the castle crystalline and perfectly well lit by the light of the Three Suns. Wherever this cave went...it went into pure darkness.

"We **have** to go in there." Kin says with a grin, trying to get a better angle from which to look into the cavern and finding none. "It could lead _anywhere_." Teah tugged on his arm, somewhat frightened, but even more curious as to what could possibly be inside a cavern that was connected to this castle. 

"I'll go if you go." She says.

"I do not think that would be an especially wise choice." A voice from behind them says. Kin spins around to see which of the Gelflings who were with them did not have the bravery it took to go with them...only to find himself staring into the midsection of an especially large urSkek.

"Ohhh...oh...w-we were just going to go sightseeing through the castle...we've been almost everywhere else." Kin says, taking a step back and looking up at the impressive creature. The urSkek in question was their music master, ZokZah. His tone was neither stern nor reproving, simply statements of fact.

"Nevertheless, there are preparations that must yet be made for the Great Conjunction, and I have not allotted the rest time necessary for you to explore those caverns. Come, I have need of you in the Crystal Chamber."

The assembled Gelflings nod, almost in unison, and proceed to make their way back to the Crystal Chamber, following the urSkek.

Little did they realize, at that time, that one from their number was missing.


	2. The Coming Darkness

Aughra had traveled for many moons. And many suns. At last she could see the Crystal Castle in the distance, gleaming in the sunlight. By the position of the suns, the Great Conjunction would take place at this time tomorrow. By keeping a steady pace, she could arrive before they set for good on this day, and have the night to converse with TekTih, SoSu, and any other urSkeks whom she might happen to encounter.

Unfortunately, her trek had one last obstacle, and this time it would not be from the terrain.

From just over the next hill, a dozen similarly robed figures that Aughra immediately recognized as Sandlings appeared just as swiftly as a sandstorm itself could in a sweltering desert. Sandlings were fairly easy to recognize. Most of them wore tattered robes with their forearms and calves poking out at each end, and a hood over their head. And they were fortunate for that, as none of them had hair. Their skin was course and rugged, just like the rest of their nature. The leader of the group steps forward, and Aughra could not decipher its gender even if she had wanted to through the clothes. Not even when it spoke.

"You are the Seer from the East. Why do you travel to the castle? Is there some great doom which we must know of?"

Aughra snorts.

"Great doom. Yes. Or great birth maybe. Only _one_ Great Conjunction Aughra has seen. Not enough to predict what will happen this time, hmm? Maybe Aughra will lose her other eye!" At this, Aughra proceeds to remove her only remaining eyeball and hold it out so the Sandlings could see. All twelve of them recoil in fear, and then edge forward slowly to get a closer look at what had just happened. It was clear none of them had ever seen anything like that before. "Or maybe Aughra will get her other eye back! Who knows?! Great Conjunction...it can do anything."

The Sandlings appear to think about this for a moment. Back and forth, they talk amongst themselves for several moments. With unsurprising haste, Aughra grows tired of this, and with another dissatisfied snort, she turns and makes her way towards the castle. Only a few steps in, she is beckoned back by the cry of one of the Sandlings.

"Seer!" The creature calls out. "Do not dally too long after the Conjunction."

"Hmph." Is Aughra's only barely audible retort, and with that, she turns continues her trek towards the Crystal Castle, picking up her pace yet again.

***

All was dark inside the cavern. Raven could swear his eyes were open, but he couldn't see anything...so it was hardly worth the effort. All he knew was that an urSkek had been talking to all of them, and just as they were about to leave, a pair of swift hands had wrapped themselves around his mouth and midsection, pulling him into the darkness. Now that he was here...wherever _here_ was...he wasn't sure exactly how to get back to the Crystal Chamber for the rehearsal. Or, worse yet, if whatever had snatched him would even _let_ him. 

Off to his left, there is a crackling sound of rocks tumbling and hitting the stony floor. Raven whips around, not knowing what good it would do. _For all I know...whatever grabbed me is actually in **front** of me,_ he thinks—half-musing, half scared for his life. With that thought now etched in his mind, he whips around the other direction. Nothing. Nothing except...a snicker.

"Who's there?" Raven asks, a lot more calmly than he felt.

"Not a crystal lord, that's for sure." A voice in the darkness replies.

"W-Who are you then?" Raven follows up. His question is not answered with words, but with a touch against his arms. He recoils immediately...but he recognized the coarse dirty feel of the skin. _A Sandling._ "So...what's a Sandling doing in the depths of the Crystal Castle snatching hapless Gelflings away from their music?"

There is another snicker.

"Foolish Gelfling wants to make music for the crystal lords. **And** foolish Podlings. But Sandlings not foolish. No, the Sandlings see through all the crystal floors and walls and ceilings. The Sandlings see that the urSkeks live in splendor while the Sandlings live in misery. That's what _we_ see. Well...soon the Sandlings will live in the castle and watch over the crystal. We do not need the urSkeks. And soon we will show the planet that they don't need them either."

Raven was somewhat surprised by this. He wasn't exactly sure what use the urSkeks served either...and his parentkin seemed to like them, which was all the more reason for him not to. But despite all of that, he didn't find anything wrong with anything that they had done. Still...this creature needed to get on with whatever it was going to do. 

"So...you've brought me here...what do you want to do? Kill me?" Raven asks.

"Kill you? No...Gelflings kill themselves with their blindness. Just a message I have. Once the Great Conjunction has come...do not stay for long afterwards. No parties. No celebrations. Just leave. Return to your forests. It will not be safe for anyone here for several days after the Three Suns touch." The Sandling replies. 

"And who shall I tell everyone gave us this warning?" 

"Xet. And do not tell everyone. Only your kin."

"_Zhyet_ huh?" Raven asks, sounding the name out for himself. 

"Yes, Xet." The voice replies.

"Alright. So...how exactly am I to find my way back to the Crystal Chamber?"

Again, his question is not answered by word, but by deed. He feels the grip of a coarse hand against his forearm, only this time stronger, pulling him back several steps. Only a small number of steps though, and then he can easily see the corridor that they had all been standing in front of only moments before. He couldn't believe he had been standing so close to the way out all of this time. Not that he was in any serious danger, but he still would have taken the first opportunity to run if he had known the escape route had been so close.

From the darkness, there is a snicker again. "Gelfling blindness. Heheheh." The voice of Xet says condescendingly. It is followed by the sounds of footsteps running off into the distance. Raven was certainly in no mood to follow. In fact, he would be lucky to not have his head torn off by ZokZah for missing some of the rehearsal. With _that_ image now guiding his thoughts, Raven turns and heads back in a mad dash towards the Crystal Chamber.

***

SoSu had been wondering how long it would be before Aughra arrived. He did not expect her to arrive at the castle all that long before the timing of the actual Great Conjunction. And he had been correct. Less than a day before the meeting of the suns, the old Seer in her black dress with flecks of red showing underneath stepped through the entrance that led into the grand gathering hall. Seventeen of the eighteen urSkeks were milling about the room, discussing this and that...ZokZah being the only one not in attendance. But all of the urSkeks feel silent for a moment at Aughra's arrival. 

With a grunt, Aughra made her way into the presence of SoSu.

"And so the Seer has come to witness the Great Conjunction firsthand." He says warmly, offering his hands to greet her. "I think it will not be necessary that your body make such a great physical sacrifice this time."

"Hmph, Aughra cares not." She says, but accepting the urSkeks welcome by clasping his hands in return. "Thra will take me back when it sees fit. No sooner, _hmph_, no later."

TekTih, the urSkek inventor, approaches Aughra next, standing next to the Leader, SoSu. 

"No, you will not need to lose eye or flesh this time. This time, the Crystal Chamber will harness the light of the Great Conjunction...focusing it all into the crystal. Power...such purifying power. We will be able to purge all evil with the power. Not only from the land. But from _ourselves_."

The other urSkeks all offer up words of agreement to that last statement. That was indeed the decided end goal of all of them. It was what they had been preparing for nine hundred ninety-nine and one trine for. To purge themselves of the evil and wicked thoughts they felt in their heart. Only then could they govern Thra with the necessary wisdom and goodness. 

Aughra on the other hand, was wary of the urSkeks goals. They seemed to be made out of good intentions. But she could not help but wonder if the crystal could purge _evil_ from the soul. From all she had learned of the crystal—through her own observations as well as that of the urSkeks—she had divined nothing that told her that it could perform such a task. 

"We have time yet." TekTih says eagerly. "Would you like to come with me to the laboratory? I have built many things since last you were here, Seer."

Aughra appears to ponder this offer for a moment. But only for a moment. Other than talking to SoSu, her meanderings with TekTih in his lab were the only thing she missed due to her less and less frequent visits to the castle.

"Ahh, the lab. Yes. Aughra has seen much, too. Much that TekTih would like to hear about, I think. We do have time. Let us go."

And with that, Aughra turned and led the way out of the hall, the glimmering urSkek floating at her side. 

***

Everyone in the rehearsal chamber looked up as Raven entered, partially out of breath and wiping beads of sweat from his brow. ZokZah turned and kindly motioned for him to take his place on the tri-leveled series of stones that the orchestra was currently seated upon. He reached down and grabbed his firca, exchanging glances with the other Gelflings. Kin, Teah, Brecht, Erecht, and Kaya all had bemused looks on their faces as they met eyes with their Gelfling companion. Sara on the other hand, looked rather concerned. Raven took another moment to wipe his brow and then brought his firca to his lips so that he could blend his tone with the chord that ZokZah had given them.

Other than that small interruption, rehearsal had gone rather well, and the Ritual Master had offered them a few tokens of praise and bid them off to their chambers. The orchestra dispersed quickly once they were given permission. There was so much to see in and around the castle, that every bit of free time they received was used to its fullest. 

As the evening came, with only the Rose Sun hanging high in the air, casting its scarlet shadow over everything, the Gelflings had made their way into the bedchamber that had been allotted to all of them. Each of them changed into sleeping togs, giving no undue attention to the process, and proceeded to climb into their respective beds. Raven chose the one on the farthest end of the room, and Sara chose the bed next to his. 

"What in the Gelfling elders' names happened to you, Raven?" Sara says in a hushed voice, so as not to disturb the others. 

Raven finishes changing into a sleeping tunic and then crawls into his allotted bed. He sighs, blowing a tuft of hair out of his eyes, which falls gently back in front of them, forcing him to move it with his hand.

"A Sandling snatched me..."

"A _Sandling_, ohhh my...we should tell the Ritual Master in the morning." 

"No. It...it wasn't like that. He could've killed me if he wanted to. But he didn't. He just gave me a warning. Gave _all_ of us a warning, actually. We're not supposed to stay around for long in the castle after the Great Conjunction."

"And miss everything that's going to go on?" Sara says, clearly shocked. "Sandling nonsense I'll bet. You know they get their robes in a bunch over just about everything that goes on here...be it good or bad. Good thing you weren't killed."

Raven's brow furrows. Maybe for a brief moment he had felt as if his life was in danger, but once Xet had begun to speak...he didn't feel that way at all. He was actually somewhat appreciative of the warning, whether it had any merit to it or not. Still, he couldn't think of that. He had to have his attention focused for the last rehearsal in the morning. _Have to nab that solo for the Conjunction. _He thinks.

"Oh, by the way, ZokZah picked the soloist for the Great Conjunction. I get to play it! Aren't you thrilled for me?" Sara says, her whisper barely containing her newfound ecstasy, now that her crush was alright.

"Yeah, you'll do great." Raven says, pulling his covers up underneath his chin to stay warm in the chilly castle. _Yeah...just great._


	3. The Crystal Cracks

The laboratory of the Crystal castle was an amazing piece of work. All around, various silvery instruments sat gleaming in the light from not only the sun above via the skylight, but also from the flames of the great shaft of the castle that sat churning and bubbling far below. It had been a while since Aughra had visited these chambers, but now that she was here once again, it was almost as if she had never left it at all. 

"And here we are, Aughra. Though I've invented many new tools and goods since last you were here, I think the lab is largely what you would remember it to be." TekTih says, motioning for her to enter and explore as she sees fit. Aughra did so, barely paying attention to the urSkek's welcome. Already the gadgetry entranced her, flitting about from workstation to workstation, seeing what the Inventor had been keeping himself busy with. 

"So, going to harness the power of the crystal are you? Hm?" Aughra says, fiddling with a silvery device that she recognizes as a tool that could measure light intensity. 

TekTih glides over to where the Seer stood, admiring his recently made Luminescor. He could tell from her tone that she was skeptical about what they would be trying to accomplish at the Conjunction tomorrow. As an inventor, he was largely the skeptic of the group as well. But he had to admit, he saw the same potential that the other urSkeks saw. Otherwise he would not have went before the wise ones back on their home planet with SoSu and made the proposals that they had. 

"You do not believe that it can be done." TekTih says warmly, guiding her over to a diagram of the crystal chamber. "You believe that all the work we have done 'lo these many trine will have been in vain."

Aughra looks at him with a slight smirk on her face. He knew her too well. Just as she knew him.

"Look at these diagrams." He says. "Look at the reactions that we have recorded throughout all the lesser conjunctions that have occurred. The crystal provides the sustenance to this planet. It is responsible for everything that is good. The harnessed light purges everything wicked from this planet. None have starved during this age. None have faced lack. The food continues to grow. The water continues to flow. The animals continue breed. All of our evidence tells us that such energy would purge the evil from **us** as well. How can we possibly allow ourselves to be looked upon as role models and leaders in the coming age if we continue to entertain the..."

TekTih pauses, Aughra looking at him.

"...the _evil_ that churns within our souls. The wants and desires that all good creatures suppress in order to work towards the benefit of their species and their world. If we can eliminate such feeling from our natures, do we not do a service to ourselves and this world which we are now a part of?"

Aughra snorts, stepping away from TekTih and the diagrams that he had been showing her. 

"Great power in the crystal! Great power in the Suns! No doubt about that. Power to sustain all life on Thra in abundance. Hm. But Aughra sees nothing. No power on Thra, or in the stars above, that would be able to remove..."

Aughra reaches out, pointing directly into the urSkek's head.

"...what lies within there. Or **here**!" She gasps, pointing at her own head. "Such power is beyond the manipulations of the universe."

TekTih clasps his hands together, nodding at the Seer's assessment of the situation, but clearly not agreeing with it.

"Let us hope, this one time, that you are mistaken."

"Hmph."

__

The Day of the Great Conjunction...

"Time to wake up, little Gelfling matty fluff." Teah says, ruffling Kin's disheveled mop of ruddy brown hair. 

Kin's arm emerges from under the folds of his sheets, brushing her arm away and then tending to his hair as best as he could.

"Leave my matty fluff alone. Surely I can sleep in a little longer. The Conjunction isn't supposed to happen 'til this afternoon.

Teah's eyes widen in surprise.

"The Suns help you, I cannot even believe you were able to sleep at all. I was barely able to sleep, and I'm not even the one with the responsibility of playing a solo."

"Yeah, that would be me." Sara's voice chirps from across the room, as she stands in front of a piece of the wall that had been smoothed enough to show perfect reflections, running a poppygrass strand through her teeth. She, along with Kaya, had each been examining each others most minute of details, ensuring that they would both look beyond acceptable for a day like today. 

Brecht and Erecht, too, were just starting to awaken. Though they clearly did not need as much prodding as did Kin. Both of them were all too used to waking up very early each new day. They were being bred for the leadership of their tribe. But they were also being pitted against one another, as only one could take the seat when it someday opened. Erecht had woken up just a few moments before his sibling. Realizing that, he reaches over, snatches up his headpad, and shoves it into Brecht's face in a mock attempt to strangle him. If Brecht was not awake before, he certainly was now, and responds to the gesture by bending his lower torso up and wrapping his legs around his brother's head and forcing him off the end of the bed. A contest which would only be resolved by the tapping of one's hand against the floor had ensued.

Thra help the Gelfling that got in the midst of the tussling ball.

Teah looked over at the two boys for a moment, a slight grin on her face as she turns her attention back to Kin. Sara and Kaya dodge out of the way of the twins, scowls of displeasure on their faces at having their preparations interrupted. 

"You know, I think Erecht had the right idea." Teah says jokingly. She the reaches under Kin's head, grabbing his pad in one fluid motion and then plastering it across his face.

Kin pretends to struggle under the very light pressure being applied to his face. He then reaches up, grabbing Teah's wrists and turns her over on the other side of his bed. Laying beside her for a moment, he chuckles at the immaturity of their actions. It was still fun though.

"There, I'm awake." He says with a grin, letting her go and then stumbling over towards the wash basin that pulled in water from a nearby stream. He first dips his hands, and then his entire head into the cool water. 

"You're not going to wear that tunic are you?" Teah says, coming up behind him. Kin looks down at what he is wearing and then looks back at her.

"I don't think so...I just slept in this thing. Give me time to get changed, for nebrie's sake." He says, walking into the clotheshole where he had stuffed his belongings. 

"Fair enough." She says. "I have some practicing I need to do for today anyway."

"Ooh!" Sara's voice interjects again. "I need to practice too! Do we have a rehearsal today?"

"Nope." Teah answers. "We have the day to ourselves, just have to be around the castle. We're representatives of our tribes for the day. A lot of the Gelflings and other peoples of the world who are coming to the castle will not have been anywhere near it before. We just have to make them feel comfortable."

"Sounds great, I need to practice." Sara says as she rushes by Kin and Teach and out through the entry hole. 

"Wait up, I got all the practice I need. I can help you!" Kaya says as she runs through the holeway after her friend.

Teah smiles, and then looks around the room. Brecht and Erecht were still wrestling on the ground. Brecht had almost got his "little" brother to tap. Didn't happen.

"Hey Kin, did Raven leave already this morning?"

"How would I know? You were awake before me." His voice floats back from the crevice where he was changing. 

"You don't think he got nabbed _again_, do you?" Teah sighs, blowing a tuft of golden hair out of her eyes and then folding it back behind her pointed ears. That was when she remembered that she had forgotten to put any ornaments in her hair. She rushes over to her satchel, grabbing a few shiny clasps and then walks over to the mirror where she begins to arrange them in her hair. As she does, she takes a moment to stretch out her wings which were previously folded neatly behind her back. _They're such a pain to have with nice clothwear. If I didn't need to fly so much, I'd have them cut off, _she grumbles in her mind as she fiddles with the hair ornaments. A few moments later, Kin stepped out of the crevice. The cream colored tunic and pants contrasted nicely with his suns-darkened skin. His features were not as chiseled as those of the T'Keb twins, but he still cut a nice form in her mind.

"Nah, he's probably out somewhere playing his firca. He seemed to want that solo pretty badly. He seems like the shy, mope around type too. Probably doing some combination of the two."

"You're probably right." Teah says, doing a slight twirl in front of the mirror, watching as the ornaments in her hair sparkled in the light of the Great Sun shone through the window. In all the time they had been here, the surroundings had been perfectly quiet and serene. Now, though, the noise level began to increase steadily as more and more creatures began to arrive in the valley that surrounded the castle. Teah finishes her appraisal of her look and then heads over to the window, looking outside. Her eyes widen in surprise.

"Kin! Come look at all of these lifes. I couldn't count them all if I wanted to."

Kin arrives at the window a few moments later. He was surprised as well. There were definitely a host of lifes out there. Gelflings, Podlings. strange looking lifes with what looked to be a single horn sprouting from their nose. Too many to tell specifically from such a high vantage point. 

"Well, I'm good and ready. I'm going to head out. By the way, nice hair, um, _things_." He says as he turns and makes his way towards the holeway. Teah smiles, reaching one hand up to touch one of the ornaments in her hair. She then walks by her bed, grabbing her firca and then heading through the holeway in the opposite direction. She wanted to get some practicing in. If somebody was off chord during the Great Conjunction, it was **not** going to be her.

***

All around the outside, the creatures of Thra with the means to do so had set up small tents and stone circles and other areas where people could talk, and run, and weave and dance and play music and any other fun thing that could be imagined on such a special day. 

Raven had sroted his way through the crowd for much of the morning. He had wanted to look around at what all was going on outside, though he was not too keen on being stopped by every other creature he met. _I should have left my orchestra sash in the room, _he thought. It seemed to be a natural draw for every inquisitive creature in the land to ask him about his time in the castle, the urSkeks, the crystal, the Conjunction and whatever else they could think of. He had eventually broken free of the growing throng and found a secluded area just on the edge of one of the nearby forests where he could relax and take the day in more slowly. After all, if a day like this only comes around once every thousand trine, he wanted to make the most of it. 

Reaching into his dyed-black tunic, he pulls out his firca, blowing one off-key note, and then looking at it again.

__

I should have practiced harder. If I would have practiced harder, I would've gotten that solo. That Sara girl is good, but I could've done it better. I...

Raven's thoughts are interrupted by the unceremonious bumping into another being. Looking up from the ground that had so fervently held his attention up to this point, he sees a slightly taller, more elaborately dressed Gelfling.

"Pardon me." The older Gelfling says, weakness in his voice. "I was just looking to find my way through into the castle through this impressive crowd. You wouldn't happen to know which way I should go, would you?"

"Uh, yeah...it's back over that way." Raven says, pointing behind him.

"Oh! Oh, well, thank you lad. Enjoy the Conjunction!" He says appreciatively, nodding to the elaborately dressed, elder Gelfling female who was with him.

Raven nods and continues on his way through the crowd.

***

"Whatever tribe that young one came from, they seem to be training up their youth well, eh Oora?" The elder says through labored breaths. "Bodes well for the future of Gelfling society I think."

"Indeed, Ooro. The suns have not come together like this for a thousand trine. We will not have another opportunity like this to unite the Gelflings together as one. We owe it to our afterbears as well as our forebears to do everything we can to make the most of this opportunity."

"And we will." Ooro says kindly, patting his younger sister's hand. "The Mokin will not let this day pass by idly."

***

__

Many paces away, in a forest just outside the castle...

"We shtrike fasht, we shtrike hard and before the day is out, the cashtle will be oursh to guard." Rex, the sect leader of the Sandlings, says to the other warriors whom he had brought with him to carry out this once in a lifetime mission. 

Xet had only just rejoined his comrades in arms, who were many, many hand's worth in number. He was eager to receive the final commands from their leader.

"Now, let ush hear from brother Xet, who will give ush an actual report from inshide the cashtle."

Xet nods and takes a step forward into the circle the triangle the group had formed, immediately commanding the attention of the others. "The castle has no guards. A strike will be simple. There are no defenses. The most difficult part will be to clear the innocents out. I met a Gelfling inside...about as old as me. I warned him. I think he got the message."

"I doubt it." Rex says. "Gelfingsh blind. If they get in our way. They will fall too. We tolerate no reshishtanche. Undershtood?"

"Understood." The Sandlings reply in unison.

"Good."

***

Inside the Chamber of Life, the eighteen urSkeks gather to oversee the final placements of the various mirrors that had been placed throughout the castle in order to harness the beams of the Three Suns floating high above when the time for the Conjunction came. The mirrors would transport the beam, in all of its original intensity, from the Crystal Chamber, throughout the castle, to its final destination in the Chamber of Life which sat just above the Crystal Chamber, in the heart of the castle. 

"And so, all is now ready, dear friend." SoSu the Leader says, slowly approaching TekTih, the Inventor.

"All is ready. However, the Seer does not share our optimism. From her tone, I think she would fit in quite nicely within the council on our home." TekTih says, apparent disappointment in his voice over Aughra's view.

"Then she will have to see, and understand, after the Conjunction." SoSu says.

"We should proceed to the chamber of the Crystal," ZokZah says, "the Great Sun will be approaching its zenith."

The other urSkeks nod and, in a flash of light, they disappear through the floor below them and down into the Crystal Chamber.

***

Still making his way through the crowds, Raven eventually comes to a clearing. He lets out a relieved breath. From somewhere that he couldn't immediately locate, his ears perk up at the sound of firca music being played. The closer he got, the more instruments he could hear being played. A pounder. A feek. And it was more than one firca as well. The grimly-garbed Gelfling follows the sound, until he comes upon the familiar sight of Sara, Kaya and a couple of Podlings having their own little concert, much to the delight of some other Gelflings and Podlings who were watching and swaying back and forth to the lively little tune. 

As soon as Sara notices Raven watching she quickly motions for him to come join them before returning her hand to her instrument. When he shakes his head "no", her eyes widen, sending a clear message of "get over here and play your firca **now**". Raven apparently got the message, for his hand was in his pocket digging around for it even before he sat down beside them. He quickly found the beat and chords they were playing, and harmonized with his own. 

Slowly, but ever increasingly, the little makeshift band began to draw a larger and larger crowd. Not much longer afterwards, the crowd began to split into dancing pairs and dancing groups. Overhead, the Great Sun sat regally in the middle of the sky. The Rose Sun and the Dying Sun, each approaching from slightly different directions, were clearly on the way to meeting with their larger sister. That, in itself, was a sight worth taking in. And many Thralings did. 

But the best was yet to come.

Sara, too, eventually took notice of where the Great Sun had settled. Her eyes widen again, and she stops playing her firca, immediately throwing the others off track.

"Whoa! Come on guys, we have to get to the chamber. The Great Sun is in the middle of the sky...that's when ZokZah said we need to be back!"

"Already? It feels like I just left the castle a few minutes ago." Raven says, honestly surprised. 

"Yes, 'already'...now come on." She pleads, tugging at his arm. He does not resist, and soon they and the Podlings with them are weaving their way back to the castle's interior.

***

Inside the Crystal Chamber, the crystal hums with the energy of the Great Sun shining inward through the triangular skylight that had been carved through the center of the ceiling. In one of the upper corners of the room, the Podling chorus that ZokZah had assembled to collaborate with the orchestra eagerly take their places. From below, the members of the great orchestra were beginning to file into the room, and take their places on the tri-leveled area that had been set aside for their use. 

It takes only a few moments before everyone, including the late-to-arrive Sara and Raven, is situated. The room is pleasantly calm, a feeling aided by the soothing hum of the crystal. 

Then, the creatures in the room take notice of the chanting that was starting to come from every entrance to the chamber. Chanting that is perfectly in sync with the melody of the crystal. The urSkeks slowly begin to come into view in all of their radiant splendor. Six from each of the three primary entrances. As they entered, the room was silent. Each and every creature sat in awe of the spectacle that was playing out before their eyes. 

Slowly and methodically, the shimmering urSkeks take their position around the crystal that seemed to be pulsating with an energy all its own. High above, through the triangular groove within the crystal chamber, the various hues of the Three Suns begin to creep into each corner, as the suns themselves draw closer into alignment.

Sara's heart was thumping loudly insider her chest. She had never been witness to such majesty before, and yet here she was, in the most beautiful place she could have ever imagined. More than that, she would be the one to play her firca in tune with the melody given off by the crystal itself. She was as ready as she could possibly have willed herself to be.

The Three Suns begin to come into alignment, each of the colors becoming awashed in the combined brilliance of the radiant white beams which shot down through the roof of the Crystal Castle and into the crystal itself. There was an audible gasp from those present within the chamber, but the urSkeks stood motionless, their chanting coming to an end as the melody of the crystal fills the room. The Podling chorus blends its harmony with the melody of the crystal, and just for a few moments they pause, allowing Sara to hear the tune, and adapt her instrument to it, playing with all that was inside her.

The beams of the crystal reflect off of the various mirrors that had been designed to capture them, through the Chamber of Life. The urSkek's manipulations of the energy appeared to be working, as the beams grew in intensity as they doubled back on the crystal itself. For a few moments, all seemed to be in perfect melody. However, it was not to last. From a myriad of directions, specific beams lance out from the crystal, becoming locked with the eyes of the eighteen urSkeks which hovered above various positions within the room. This lasts only for a few moments more, and then—just as the urSkeks had intended—they begin to feel their wills, their spirits, their very essences divide in half. Not long after, their bodies manifest the divide occurring within their souls, and the urSkeks—previously aware of both their dark and light natures—divide into those very natures, and lose much of the awareness of the understanding of their other half as they do.

The Conjunction lasts only for a few moments before the Suns come out of alignment with one another, and the melody which revitalized and shook the planet of Thra to its very deepest core, begins to subside.

To one side, mystical beings which understood themselves to be the urRu, collapse to the ground. Their skins are pale, and their meek robings equally so. Possessed of four arms, they easily right themselves and begin to take in, with noted awe, at what had occurred and the majesty that still surrounded them. Their essences were of discovery, enlightenment and preservation. Each of the urRu had a distinct memory that this was precisely the reason they had gone to the lengths they had with the crystal.

To the other side, powerful, dark and avian-like creatures which understood themselves to be known as Skeksis also collapsed to the ground. They were completely mystified by the new sensation of actually having to touch the ground and force themselves up from it. Their deep, black robes flowed around them as they slithered across the floor of the chamber, each of them finding another Skeksis with which to cling onto and pull themselves up. Each of them hated being touched by the others, but each of them also knew of no other way in which to get to their feet. Many of the Skeksis had manes which were as black as their robes, if they possessed hair at all. Their seething eyes took in the room which surrounded them, and the creatures within that room. Their essences were in direct contrast to those of the urRu. Whereas the urRu desired only knowledge and the preservation of it. The Skeksis desired only power. Through power, they could satiate every other lust that filled their unctuous bodies.

One of the Skeksis immediately saw an opportunity to lay claim to that power. SkekSo, easily the largest and most formidable of the group, stalks over and grabs one of the crystalline candelabras which sat nearby. A group of frightened Podlings scurry away from the imposing creature. The other Skeksis, having no understanding of what he intended to do, simply watch with piqued curiosity. UrSu, however, understood what his dark counterpart intended to do, and quickly took steps to intercept him.

"I will not let you harm the crystal," urSu says. "I will not let you harm this world."

The Skeksis sneers, part of him not like being challenged so openly, and part of him actively reveling in it. The other mystics chanted, in harmonic support of the one who sought to defend the crystal. The other Skeksis however, hissed and sneered and were altogether more vocal in their aggression towards the mystics, and even towards the large Skeksis himself who was clearly attempting to establish power for himself.

"The crystal is **ours!**" SkekSo barks. "The power of this world...**_ours!_**"

With one powerful swipe, he strikes the urRu mystic across the face, sending him spilling onto the chamber floor, while still deftly holding the candelabrum in the other hand. With a triumphant and primal yell, SkekSo hoists the object in the air with both hands and then sends it crashing against the side of the crystal.

And the crystal cracked.

And in that instant, a single shard broke free of the crystal and soared high into the air, through the triangular portal that had been carved into the ceiling. No sooner had the crystal been cracked, then its melodic hum ceased. Its color darkened, and a rumble thunder could be heard overhead. Though the planet knew no such thing as total night or day, the light of the world visibly lessened.

The Age of Harmony had come to an end. Ushered in by the urSkeks, a new age, an Age of Wonder, would now begin. 

The age of the Dark Crystal.

As to what that age would bring is still yet to be told.


End file.
